5 Ways to Shut Down or Sleep Windows 10/11 Using a Keyboard Shortcut

Have you ever tried to turn your computer off or put it to sleep using just the keyboard? Perhaps you’re looking for a Windows sleep shortcut because your mouse isn’t functioning properly, or you want to work more effectively.
We’ll teach you how to sleep or shut down your Windows PC using just the keyboard. There are many methods for creating this shortcut, and they all work on both Windows 10 and Windows 11.
The most dependable sleep shortcut in Windows 10 and Windows 11 isn’t a genuine keyboard shortcut. Rather, it’s a short key sequence. However, since it works without any configuration and while using any software, it’s usually the easiest way to rapidly put your computer to sleep.
To begin, hit Win + X to bring up the Power User Menu. The choices in this menu have highlighted characters that relate to shortcut keys. To shut down, sleep, or execute other power operations, press U to open the Shut down or sign out area, then use one of the following keys:
- To restart Windows, press U again.
- Hit the R key to restart.
- To put Windows to sleep, press S.
- Use H to hibernate.
- Hit I to sign out.
If you don’t see the option to hibernate, see our guide on Windows hibernation to discover how to activate it and much more.
2. The Alt + F4 Sleep Mode Shortcut
As you may be aware, hitting Alt + F4 shuts the current app window in the same way that clicking the X in the top-right corner of a program does. If you don’t presently have a window selected, you may sleep in Windows 10 by pressing Alt + F4.
To ensure that no programs are in focus, use a shortcut like Win + T, which will concentrate your cursor on the first item on the taskbar. Then, hit Alt + F4, which will bring up the Shut Down Windows dialog box.
Depending on your system, the option box will most likely default to Shut down or Sleep. If you’re satisfied, press Enter to confirm your choice. Otherwise, use the up and down arrow keys to go between other selections, then press Enter when you’re finished.
Check out other methods to shut down Windows if you didn’t know this technique.
3. Create Your Own Shortcut to Sleep Windows 10/11
While there is no built-in sleep shortcut in Windows 10 or 11, you may simply create your own.
Creating a New Shortcut
To create a new shortcut, first right-click an empty area on your desktop and choose New > Shortcut.
You’ll need to input different text in the resulting box depending on whether you want a shortcut key for sleeping or shutting down the machine. Make use of the following:
To create a shortcut that promptly shuts down Windows and closes any active programs:
shutdown.exe -s -t 00 -f
To create a sleep shortcut:
rundll32.exe powrprof.dll,SetSuspendState 0,1,0
Unfortunately, the sleep shortcut comes with a little catch. If you have hibernation enabled on your computer, this command will force it to hibernate rather than sleep.
To disable hibernation, press Win + X once again, then choose Command Prompt (Admin), Windows PowerShell (Admin), or Windows Terminal (Admin) from the menu. Then, press Enter after typing or pasting the following line:
powercfg -h off
In any case, after entering the command, click Next, name the shortcut, and then click Finish.
Assign a Keyboard Shortcut to the Sleep Command
Now that you’ve created a shortcut to the desired choice, you must give it a key combination to create a proper sleep mode shortcut.
To do so, right-click your new desktop shortcut and choose Properties. Select the Shortcut tab at the top, and then input a key combination in the Shortcut key box.
Choose something that isn’t already in use by other applications. Additionally, make sure your shortcut combination is difficult to press by mistake. You don’t want to shut off your system in the midst of a task.
When you’re finished, click OK to activate your Windows sleep keyboard shortcut or shutdown keyboard shortcut. If you decide you no longer want it, just delete the shortcut file, which will also remove the keyboard shortcut. You may also clear the Shortcut key box to preserve the file but disable the shortcut.
4. Make Your Power Button Into a Sleep Shortcut
This isn’t a keyboard shortcut, but it’s a quick way to put your computer to sleep with a single click.
Pressing the actual Power button on your desktop or laptop will automatically shut off your computer. If you don’t often utilize this feature, you may reassign the power button to put your computer to sleep.
On Windows 10, visit Settings and go to System > Power & sleep. Select Additional power settings on the right side; if you don’t see this, extend the window horizontally. By clicking here, you will be sent to the Control Panel’s Power Options area.
In Windows 11, access the Control Panel by typing “control” into the Start menu. If necessary, change the Category to Small Icons in the top-right corner, then choose Power Options from the list.
On each platform, on the left side, select Choose what the power buttons do.
When I push the power button, you’ll see a field on the subsequent page. Change it to Sleep and then click Save changes. Pressing the actual Power button on your PC will now put it to sleep rather than shut it off.
There’s also a section for when I push the sleep button. You may adjust the operation of your PC’s sleep button using this field.
Method 5: Use Your Keyboard’s Sleep Key
This solution may not work for everyone, but your laptop keyboard (or desktop keyboard) may include a dedicated Sleep button. This should put your machine to sleep and does not need you to build any custom shortcuts as described before.
If you have a Sleep key, it generally appears like a crescent moon or a Zz symbol. To access it, you may need to hold down the Function or Fn key while pressing another key. The precise procedures depend on your laptop or keyboard; if you’re unsure, check the handbook.
Windows Sleep and Shut Down Shortcuts for All
You now have various sleep mode keyboard shortcuts to swiftly shut down or sleep Windows 10/11. This makes it simple to access power preferences without having to go through menus.
Meanwhile, if you’re having trouble with Windows’ sleep mode, there are several workarounds you may attempt.
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